clumsy

play

adjective clum·sy \ˈkləm-zē\

Definition of clumsy

clumsier

;

clumsiest

1a : lacking dexterity, nimbleness, or grace clumsy fingersb : lacking tact or subtlety a clumsy joke
2 : awkward or inefficient in use or construction : unwieldy a clumsy contraption criticized her sentence for its clumsy construction

clumsily

play \-zə-lē\ adverb

clumsiness

play \-zē-nəs\ noun

See clumsy defined for English-language learners

See clumsy defined for kids

Examples of clumsy in a Sentence

I'm sorry about spilling your wine—that was very clumsy of me.
I have very clumsy hands and tend to drop things.
She made a clumsy attempt at a joke.

Recent Examples of clumsy from the Web

Every year, billions of dollars change hands in needlessly clumsy ways.

— joe pinsker, The Atlantic, "Venmo's Pointless-Seeming Social Feed Might Be Its Greatest Strength," 18 July 2017
Fueling speculation that Trump himself was present at the meeting, Sekulow’s reference to the Secret Service is either false, or stupidly clumsy.

— vanityfair.com, "Did Trump’s Lawyer Just Implicate Him in Donnygate?," 17 July 2017
Fueling speculation that Trump himself was present at the meeting, Sekulow’s reference to the Secret Service is either false, or stupidly clumsy.

— isobel thompson, The Hive, "Did Trump’s Lawyer Just Implicate Him in Donnygate?," 17 July 2017
Clinton was a famously gifted public speaker and Bush an infamously clumsy one.

— avi selk, Washington Post, "How Bill Clinton and George W. Bush got over their politics and became BFFs," 15 July 2017
The pleasure in making Shakespeare corporeal is the pleasure of imagining timeless wisdom emanating from a body as clumsy as our own.

— maia silber, chicagotribune.com, "A new show imagines a punk rock Shakespeare - the latest of our many fantasies about the bard," 8 July 2017
And the tablet's casing is less fragile than those of premium models like the iPad and Galaxy Tab S3, easing concerns when tossing it in your bag without a case or handing it off to a clumsy family member.

— lisa eadicicco, Time, "The 5 Best Tablets You Can Buy Right Now," 30 June 2017
Tiny joeys, still clumsy hoppers, skitter around the kitchen floor, including Harvey, the joey Williams recently found.

— serena solomon, The Seattle Times, "A quest to save baby kangaroos on a lonely Australian highway," 30 June 2017
The clumsy stagger-step between every action is a pain, but it’s basically all there is to Valkyria Revolution’s combat.

— steven strom, Ars Technica, "Valkyria Revolution trades in cult-classic status for wasted promise," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clumsy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of clumsy

probably from obsolete English clumse benumbed with cold

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1598

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of clumsy

awkward, clumsy, maladroit, inept, gauche mean not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct). awkward is widely applicable and may suggest unhandiness, inconvenience, lack of muscular control, embarrassment, or lack of tact. periods of awkward silence clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill. a clumsy mechanic maladroit suggests a tendency to create awkward situations. a maladroit politician inept often implies complete failure or inadequacy. a hopelessly inept defense attorney gauche implies the effects of shyness, inexperience, or ill breeding. felt gauche and unsophisticated at formal parties

CLUMSY Defined for English Language Learners

clumsy

play

adjective

Definition of clumsy for English Language Learners

: moving or doing things in a very awkward way and tending to drop or break things
: badly or awkwardly made or done
: hard to use : awkward to handle

CLUMSY Defined for Kids

clumsy

play

adjective clum·sy \ˈkləm-zē\

Definition of clumsy for Students

clumsier

;

clumsiest

1 : lacking skill or grace in movement clumsy fingers
2 : awkwardly or carelessly made or done a clumsy apology a clumsy error
3 : awkward to handle a clumsy package